Wire Forming

Wire forming bends and coils wire stock into 2D and 3D shapes like springs, clips, and frames with high repeatability at medium to high volumes.

Overview

Wire forming shapes round or shaped wire stock into precise 2D and 3D forms using bending, coiling, and forming tools. CNC wire forming machines can produce complex geometries in a continuous process, ideal for springs, clips, brackets, frames, and light structural components. Parts can be produced straight from coil, minimizing material waste and setup time.

Use wire forming when your part has a constant cross-section, needs elasticity or spring behavior, and can be defined by bends, coils, and simple end features. It excels for medium to very high volumes where per-part cost matters more than extremely tight tolerances. Tradeoffs: cross-section is fixed, sharp features and dramatic section changes need secondary operations, and tolerances are looser than precision machining. Wire forming offers strong cost and throughput advantages for functional metal components that can live with forming tolerances and a uniform wire profile.

Common Materials

  • Music wire (high carbon steel)
  • Stainless steel 302
  • Stainless steel 304
  • Spring steel
  • Copper
  • Aluminum 5052

Tolerances

±0.005" to ±0.010" on lengths and feature positions; ±1° to ±2° on bend angles

Applications

  • Compression springs
  • Torsion and extension springs
  • Retaining clips and clamps
  • Automotive seat frames and wire brackets
  • Wire racks, baskets, and hooks
  • Electrical contacts and terminal springs

When to Choose Wire Forming

Choose wire forming when your part has a uniform wire cross-section and is defined mainly by bends, coils, and simple ends. It fits best for elastic or spring-like components at medium to very high volumes where tooling amortization pays off. Use it when you prioritize speed and part cost over ultra-tight dimensional control or complex 3D solid geometry.

vs Forging

Pick wire forming over forging when the part’s function can be achieved with constant-diameter wire and bending instead of a bulky, solid 3D shape. Wire forming gives lower tooling cost, faster changeovers, and is better for springs, clips, and lightweight brackets where strength-to-weight and elasticity matter more than maximum bulk strength.

vs Stamping

Choose wire forming over stamping when your design is rod-like or frame-like, and cutting a flat profile from sheet would waste material or require too many forming stages. Wire forming handles 3D geometries, long free spans, and spring behavior more naturally than flat stampings, with less scrap and often simpler tooling for frame-style parts.

vs Extrusion

Use wire forming instead of extrusion when you only need a simple round or basic wire profile and most of the geometry comes from bends and coils, not from a complex cross-section. Wire forming avoids long-lead extrusion dies and secondary bending operations, reducing cost and lead time for frames, springs, and bent-wire structures.

vs CNC machining

Select wire forming over CNC machining when the design can be realized in bent wire rather than a fully machined 3D solid. For brackets, clips, and simple frames, wire forming drastically cuts cycle time, material removal, and cost, especially at higher volumes where dedicated forming tools and CNC wire benders shine.

Design Considerations

  • Keep a constant wire diameter wherever possible to simplify tooling and reduce setup and part cost
  • Use bend radii of at least 1–1.5× wire diameter to improve formability, reduce cracking risk, and increase tool life
  • Clearly identify only truly critical dimensions and datum features; leave generous tolerances on non-functional legs and spans
  • Specify material grade, temper, and required spring properties (rate, preload, working deflection) so suppliers can choose suitable wire and heat treatment
  • Avoid features that require tight bends adjacent to welded joints or sharply intersecting bends, which complicate forming and increase scrap
  • Provide a flat developed layout or centerline path and indicate end conditions (closed/ground ends, hooks, loops) to speed up quoting and tooling design